Nicotine is popularly known as the addictive compound contained in cigarettes and that's how the market for Nicotine patches and Nicotine gum developed. So, yes, NICOTINE is popularly known but not popularly understood from a scientific perspective, nor from the latest anthropological finding; so let the scholarly adventure begin:
I have been pondering for several weeks about this substance called nicotine: What is it? Where does it come from? How long has it been around? And finally, How harmful is it really?
As most good researchers probably assume, the answers have been coming to me in a sychronistic manner. Today's research is intended to be part 1 of a trilogy.
First, a Merriam webster definition of the popular word Nicotine: a poisonous alkaloid C10H14N2 that is the chief active principle of tobacco and is used as an insecticide.
So never mind that it is addictive, (which does not seem to phase most smokers anyway). What did I just read? POISONOUS. And was that INSECTICIDE? The medical definition also stresses the poisonous nature of nicotine, and the fact that it is used as an insecticide. Those two words alone should steer away any smoker who has an ounce of common sense.
All environmentalists and nature conservationists remember the admirable work of Rachel Carson published as Silent Spring in 1962. Thanks to her relentless efforts, the deadly effects of insecticides on plants, waterways and humans were documented, and now many insecticides such as DDT have been outlawed and some others are being carefully regulated. So what's the link? Well, if DDT is harmful to animals, water, plants and humans, why would anyone want to expose himself to the insecticide-in-disguise called NICOTINE. The American Chemical Society explains this very well,
"Chemicals that don't outright kill, can accumulate in fat tissues causing medical problems." In addition to: "Chemicals can be transferred generationally from mothers to their young".
So even if you don't feel sick, you may be still carrying some serious dormant medical problems from just waiting on your stubbornness to quit doing it's ravaging job on your health. After all, why would anyone want to play Russian Roulette and find out about that one fateful cigarette that ignited it all, after all the times that nothing happened. It could be your fatal bullet.